Though a couple of weeks have passed since the curtain came down on the season in this holiday destination, the flow of tourists particularly during weekends continues to be fairly good.
Enquiries made by The Hindu revealed that the demand for seats on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) was good.
Stating that despite the rain 6,000 tourists had visited the Government Botanical Garden on Saturday, the Assistant Director of Horticulture, M. Prakasam said that of late the number of tourists entering the garden ranged between 6,000 and 8,000 during weekends and during the week days it was about 3,500.
Since the inflow is expected to increase significantly during the World Classical Tamil Conference in Coimbatore which is scheduled to start on June 23, preparations to protect the main lawn have commenced.
To ensure that it presented a verdant look a few days from now, it will be made out of bounds to visitors from Monday.
The roads inside the Government Botanical Garden are being improved since the President of India, Pratibha Patil, is scheduled to stay at the Raj Bhavan above the garden between June 19 and 22.
Meanwhile the wet and nippy conditions have increased the demand for caps, shawls and sweaters among the tourists.
Vendors of such items especially near tourist spots like the Government Botanical Garden, the Ooty
Lake and Doddabetta peak are making the most of it.
During the 24-hour period ending 8.30 a.m. on Sunday, Avalanchi recorded 171 mm of rainfall,Devala:80,Upper Bhavani:70,Emerald:53,Gudalur:46 and Ketti:45.
